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tv   Politics Nation  MSNBC  August 27, 2012 6:00pm-7:00pm EDT

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refused to play the ethnic card. this he's a muslim charge. and john mccain was losing when he refused to get down to dirty. so why is mitt romney doing it? why is he taking this shot at welfare people and telling knee slappers about the birther sickness? that's a question that needs an answer. more importantly it's a question we shouldn't have to be asking after what this country's been through all these years. and that's "hardball" for now. thanks for being with us. "politicsnation" with al sharpton starts right now. thanks, chris and thanks to you for tuning in. tonight's lead, taking the low road. after months of trying to run on this economy, mitt romney has changed courses. he's trying to change the conversation. "the new york times" reports on a new meaner message, quote, the
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move reflects a campaign infused with a sharper edge and overtones of class and race. class and race. why would he do that? the times reports that the romney arguments about the economy just aren't working. he needs something else. and he's found it. according to republican strategists, mr. romney's chances hinge to a large degree on running up his advantage among white voters in swing states who show deep strains of opposition to mr. obama but do not yet trust mr. romney to look out for their interests. so he wants white voters with deep strains of opposition to mr. obama. how could he possibly appeal to them? >> going out and saying he's going to take the welfare -- excuse me, the work requirement out of welfare. how can he not understand the power of work, the dignity of work. the president is taking the work
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requirement out of welfare. yeah. i mean, we value work. we're a society which celebrates hard work. we do not look for a government that tries to find ways to provide for people who are not willing to work. >> the president doesn't understand the dignity of work. he doesn't understand the power of work? where does this even come from? and for three weeks mr. romney's been running ads like this. >> on july 12th, president obama gutted welfare by dropping work requirements. you wouldn't have to work or train for a job. they just send you your check. and welfare to work goes back to being plain old welfare. >> he'll gut welfare reform. you won't have to work. in the final stretch mr. romney's not talking about jobs or the economy, but about a president who supposedly is
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against work? it isn't even close to being true. the washington post fact checkers gave romney four pinocchios saying quote, the ad's claim is not accurate and inflames old resentments about able-bodied adults sitting around collecting public assistance. pants on fire. president clinton who signed the legislation says the ads were simply not true. and president obama is calling romney out. >> probably the most prominent argument that he's been making for why voters should vote for him is this notion that obama took the work requirement out of welfare. and he'll put it back. the problem is that every fact checker, every reporter who's actually looked at this says this is just just made up.
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>> but mr. romney won't let it go. in an interview he says quote, there's no question in my mind that the president's actions were calculated to shore up his base. weakening the work requirement and welfare is an enormous mistake. shoring up his base? what is that nonsense? the romney strategy is not subtle. he's going for the right wing of the republican party. >> no one's ever asked to see my birth certificate. they know that this is the place that we were born and raised. >> it's something we've heard for awhile. from not understanding america to calling out quote, foreign costs. it's low. it's ugly. and it just may work. joining me live from tampa right outside the republican national convention is chris matthews, host of msnbc's "hardball." chris, first thanks so much for
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being here tonight. >> thanks, reverend al. >> you've seen a lot of campaigning. how do you address the romney strategy here? >> well, it's blatant. we grew up with people like bobby kennedy and we grew up with bill clinton and barack obama who were unifiers. they knew how to unify people across ethnic lines. that was their genius as politicians. it's much harder to do that. i remember the dirty faces of the people on along the line when bobby kennedy was laid to rest. to me it's simple politics to divide. the easiest thing is raise the racial charge, welfare cheats, easy welfare checks, food stamps, welfare queens, young bucks using food stamps to buy booze with. this was the reagan line for years. i know they use it now and everybody hears it. maybe being white i can spot it from a different perspective
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than you can. i hear the dog whistle. i know who it's aimed at. and it works. the scary thing is poor barack obama in this sense he's vulnerable. if he shows any anger like i show today, he's an angry black man. have you noticed the last couple weeks they're going after him for his anxiouser. which is it? and then he shows he's vulnerable and he loses. he has to be above the battle. almost pretend they're not playing the game. he's good at occasionally saying you know what they're up to. unfortunately with working class whites who are hard strapped right now a lot of them facing underemployment. there's resentment out there. i'll say this. i've been in washington 40 years now. i say to anybody who wonders if black people work hard enough, you want to get into the ethnic thing. drive through washington along
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florida avenue at 6:30 in the morning. see who's waing in line to get on the bus to go to work. they're not waiting to go get a welfare check, damn it. these are hard working people that come home tired. and a lot of them come home. the idea they don't work is sickening. yet this is used over and over again as a dog whistle. by the way, you don't have to be a dog to hear it. >> well, i think that it is interesting, though, because you're right. if the president responds, he's an angry black man. if i say something, well he's a civil rights activist. but when you have "the new york times" saturday, when you have chris matthews coming out saying this is trying to divide us by race and class, and one of the reasons it's so blatant is it's untrue. it's not even like they're given a rationale why he's doing something. they're lying about it. >> the work requirement is a
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good thing. there's also parts saying go to work. if they're going to give more liberalism to someone who doesn't only talk jobs, this is the way it does. this has been enforced by democrats and republicans. to raise this issue now. i wonder why he's doing it. john mccain when he was losing back in 2008 the last time around, a woman came up to him and threw the muslim charge at the now-president. he said, no, ma'am. his conscience was there. he said that's not true. and he took on the crowd. and he was losing. romney's ahead in the latest poll, there's no reason for him to get down in the dirt. there's a good chance for him to win. why is he going down on this now? >> when we look at what he's doing, let me show you. he has this in his campaign cycle. attacking the president's americanism. listen to this.
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>> it's a very strange and in some respects foreign to the american experience type of philosophy. >> i wish this president would learn how to be an american. >> it's not an american administration. it is a european socialist administration. >> our president doesn't have the same feeling about american exceptionalism as we do. >> stst not about you. it's about some phony ideal. some phony theology. not a theology based on the bible, a different theology. >> i don't think he understands why our economy is the most successful in the world. i don't think he understands america. >> so there's romney and the gop leadership questioning his knowledge of america. he's different, he's other than us. clearly dog whistle tactics by the whole republican establishment. and it's at the expense of dividing this country. >> well, reverend, i've heard
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about driving while black in new jersey and how that is a statement how people are abused as drivers because of ethnicity and profiling. here you have a president of the united states forced to produce his papers. a president of the united states forced to produce his papers of birth. having to shove it out in the public. the humiliation of that and he took it because he had to. >> it's called -- >> john mccain was born in panama. nobody shoved this in their face. this guy was born in hawaii. and i'm being sarcastic now because i do get angry about this. then reince priebus this morning talking about european this and european that. the basis of this health care plan is the heritage foundation, a republican leaning conservative organization and the individual mandate koultd not be more american. and the idea of taking people out of the emergency room and making sure they take some responbility and reliance on their own health care couldn't be more american.
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and nothing is more sickening than to call that european socialism in some attempt to make this president a foreigner. we know what they're doing and i don't mind ringing the bell for it. if people think i'm ringing it too loud, they need to pay attention when it's rung lighter. it's awful what's going on. and it's consistent. >> well, i really appreciate you coming on, chris. we'll call it presiding while black as opposed to driving while black. >> sad but true. >> and be sure to watch "hardball" from tampa following us at 7:00 eastern right here on msnbc. coming up, the extreme voices in the gop might be left out of convention, but make no mistake about it, they're still driving the agenda. and two ohio election officials are one step closer to being fired for -- get this -- wanting more voting. the suspended officials join us
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live. and all of that plus air guitars. oh, yeah. it's the world air guitaring championship on stage in your summer break. you're watching "politicsnation" on msnbc. this country was built by working people. the economy needs manufacturing.
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this may be mr. romney's convention, but it's the tea party's agenda. the gop has been taken over by the far right of the party and they don't want you to know about it. that's next. cake donettes rolling hot dogs bag of ice anti-freeze wash and dry diesel self-serve fix a flat jumper cables 5% cashback signup for 5% cashback at gas stations through september. it pays to discover.
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we're back with a delegation getting a huge welcome at this republican's convention. take a look. >> who's proud to be a tea partier now? >> barack obama is a direct threat to the survival of the country i grew up in. >> in washington, d.c. they said the revolution will not be happening. don't they only wish. >> they may be getting a huge welcome, but this extreme trio has mostly been shut out of the convention. but don't be fooled. their voices are driving the gop agenda. it's just that the party is trying to hide it. just look at the gop platform.
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they've adopted arizona's papers please law. a no abortion exception even for rape, incest, or the life of the mother. mandatory ultrasound. no to same-sex marriage and civil unions. and endorse more laws to disenfranchise voters all over the country. today we learned about a secret medicare plank to be voted on tomorrow. it would end medicare and medicaid as we know it and raise seniors' out of pocket expenses by thousands of dollars. it's no wonder moderate republicans are fleeing. jeb bush is calling for a change in tone. and charlie crist from florida just endorsed president obama saying quote, but an element of their party has pitched so far to the extreme right on issues important to women, imgrants, seniors and students they've
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proven incapable for governing for the people. to the party has failed to demonstrate the kind of leadership or seriousness voters deserve. and the truth hurts. joining me now analyst richard wolffe. he's also the author of "revival: the struggle for survival inside the obama white house" and former virginia congressman thomas peirio who lost his house seat. he's now for american progress. let me start with you, richard. is the republican party trying to hide from its extremes? >> it's hard to hide when your plot form is what it is. what you're seeing now is a number of the smarter more strategic republicans know the party is way outside of where they need to be to be electable at a national level. we're not that extreme because we have a moderate nominee,
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right? so everything's fine because no matter what the plot form says, that's not what mitt romney. the party has drifted so far to the right that they've had to make the moderate formerly moderate nominee into something he wasn't to begin with. and his positions on debt. the problem is his policies would blow apart the deficit. this is not a party or a nominee anymore inside the mainstream. >> tom, last week the president spoke with the associated press about where he thinks mitt romney stands. listen to this and give me your reaction. >> he has signed up for extreme positions that are consistent with the positions that a number of house republicans have taken. and whether he actually believes in those or not, i have no doubt
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that he would carry forward some of the things that he's talked about. >> now, as you give me your reaction, tom, remember now they're playing this moderate image none of the extremist on -- at least not on primetime. how does this play to in fact what they're really representing in their platform and what romney is representing as the president is recounting it in this interview? >> well, i have to disagree a little with the premise there. seven birthers that are scheduled to speak at the convention, we think that's an extreme position. romney/ryan the ticket itself has moved to end medicare as we know it. ryan's made clear that he is with akin. and we're talking about massive holes in the deficit while independent analysts want to raise taxes on the middle class by $2,000 a year to give mitt romney a $4.5 million tax cut. so i don't think you have to look much beyond the ticket.
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i think we've got to get away from the myth that mitt romney is somehow this moderate, reasonable guy who's just getting yanked against his will. if you look at the welfare ad you were just looking at, there wasn't some ground swell asking him to make up lies about welfare reform and lean into the worst kind of politics. that came straight from him and his campaign. i think this idea he's getting pulled against his will is becoming a harder and harder case to make except the argument that this is where he's deciding to lead. >> isn't tom really right? isn't it more of a question of being abrasive with manners or being abrasive with no manners but they're all abrasive? >> he's a grownup. he makes his own choices. so no one forced him to do this. this was his ambition and this is presumably you've got to take him at his word. this is where his heart is. he's had a change of heart an being conservative with a small
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c when it comes to things like the budget. were it now for 8% unemployment, these positions would be seen as unelectable. and the republicans are suffering from the delusion of 2010. they won by going to the pea party extreme. they think they can repeat it again. but if they really come back to the mainstream in their next nominee, it's going to have to be more moderated along the lines of what the bushes used to be. >> but i hear you saying something else, tom. you're saying it's not just about a winning straty. when you look at romney's background and others, there's not much difference in what he has advocated and voted in congress and what the extreme right is saying. you're saying this is really them. >> that's right. it's paul ryan's congress that voted to cut benefits for seniors and veterans. it's paul ryan's congress that reduced this radical plan on welfare. it's paul ryan's congress that
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wanted to bring back the incentives for outsourcing. and it's paul ryan's congress that voted themselves a five-week vacation instead of acting on the president's jobs bill. and it's mitt romney who looked at the congress and said i want to hire the brains behind that operation. so the most important decision a future commander in chief makes is who that vice presidential nomination is going to be. and it tells us a lot about mitt romney in terms of where his values are. which is either the idea he's willing to do and say anything to zban power or he is aligned with the radical view that over 80% of the american people think this congress is doing a bad job. but mitt romney thinks that's the direction to go. >> when you look at this platform, richard, and i outlined a lot of the planks in my opening segment. about abortion with the rape and insist. the rest clearly there.
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if you look at the fkt that more people have shown interest about learning the gop platform than romney or ryan's acceptance speech. from the pew poll, that's where people are. people are coming to this platform. that could be a problem. look at what jeb bush said yesterday on "meet the press" and what he says carefully about the tone but not necessarily about what they are going to really represent and advocate. listen to this. >> our democratics are changing. and we have to change not necessarily our core beliefs but how we -- but the tone of our message and the intensity of it. this is going to be a close election, but long-term conservative principles if they're to be successful and implemented, there has to be a concerted effort to reach out to a broader audience than we do today. >> demographics have changed. reach out to a broader audience. change our tone, not our core
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beliefs. >> i'm not sure he believed that. i think he was being diplomatic. you cannot just change your tone and appeal to the demographics of the latino population or the rising minorities of diversity in this country. it's not like akin mischoosing words here. jeb bush noses that. romneys have to reach out to a broader audiences. even someone like karl rove knew they had to reach out to latinos. you're not going to get that with a harsh anti-immigrant rhetoric and the platform this time around. >> tom, don't we need as americans have a real debate in this country, the moderates and the republican party to stand up and say these kinds of things are wrong. not a change in tone. i agree with richard, how do you change the tone of telling rape
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and incest victims that you cannot have the right to choose an abortion. or how do you change the tone of self-deportation? isn't it time for moderate republicans to stand up and fight back or admit their party has been overtaken and they are no longer in charge or even in the majority of their party? >> i hear it all the time when i'm out campaigning. they'd write a small check and get a seat at the table. but now they feel like unless you're writing $1 million check you have no voice. and they're saying these guys aren't serious about building infrastructure or investing in education that are a crucial part of the job creators back on main street when the other party seemto only care about the job creators on wall street. i think this is about bringing back that moderate conversation. when mitt romney's only move is to run that kind of welfare ad that's not only offensive to black people, it's offensive to
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white people saying you're going to come at me with something that rewards outsourcing and you're going to win my vote by playing that dog whistle, that's insulting to my intelligence. what we need to look at is not just their tone but their policies. realize they're terrible for job creation here in the united states, terrible for manufacturing and there's a lot of americans who look at mitt romney and say this guy doesn't get the experience e that we have out here. and what it's going to take to create jobs out on main street. >> well, i thank you both for being here. you know, this dog whistle thing really bothers me because every time you have the dog whistles, those of us that can't hear the dog whistle, we end up getting bit. richard wolffe, tom perriello. thanks for your time. coming up, somebody is comparing mitt romney to popeye. and that somebody is mitt romney. plus all the world's a stage
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and it's time for the best air guitarist in today's summer break. stay with us. look at those toys. insurance must be expensive.
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nah. [ dennis' voice ] i bet he's got an allstate agent. they can save you up to 30% more by bundling your policies. well, his dog's stupid. [ dennis' voice ] poodles are one of the world's smartest breeds. are you in good hands?
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i'm not going to try to hide who i am and try to manipulate
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my life to try and avoid the truth. >> all i can do is be who i am. remember that popeye line i am what i am and that's all i am. ♪ i'm popeye the sailor man >> you know things are tough when a politician starts comparing himself to popeye. governor romney's team has a pr problem. voters just really don't like their candidate. so the campaign arranged an interview with fox news. >> i know it's a little early. it's a little early. i'm just taking a look. i'm going to do it anyway. see. >> honestly, is this the first time you've done this in your life? >> are you putting peanut butter on my pancakes? >> i'm not putting them on chris'. don't worry. >> peanut butter on pancakes. now we know everything. what else could we possibly want
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to learn about mitt romney? really, once you know what a politician puts on his pancakes, is there anything else to learn? what else is relevant? >> i also hear from my sources that you have an unhealthy attraction to costco. >> oh, we both love costco. i love costco. >> she got me a three pack of shirts from costco. and they're nice shirts. >> the kirkland shirts. he's wearing them all the time. i got it at costco. >> costco? i always thought he was more of a sam's club kind of guy. but at least the critical questions about romney are getting answered. the things we just got to know. at least we're finally learning what's important in this election. >> mitt and i are pretty independent. that's how we like it. like to do our own things. i think mitt ironed his own shirt this morning.
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i noticed he was doing the laundry last night. >> he ironed his own shirt? amazing. what more do we need to know? isn't this all the information the american people need to know to make their choice on election day? this week republicans will try to sell you a kinder, gentler mitt romney and they're hoping you forget about all the questions romney is refusing to answer. joining me now is former pennsylvania governor ed rendell, former chairman of the democratic national committee and now an msnbc news political analyst. thank you for joining me. >> i think you're ready to do stand up, al. >> i always wanted to ask you, do you put peanut butter on your pan takes? we'll talk about that later. let me ask you something serious. do you think republicans think they'll be able to repackage romney for the american people? >> well, i think that would be a mistake. because the american people are not dumb. mitt romney is not a common guy. he's not a guy who shops -- they
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may go to costco once in awhile but he doesn't wear costco shirts 99% of the time. i'd bet my right arm on it. he said the right thing. it was funny he was quoting popeye, but i am who i am. i think that's an important message for all politicians to follow. if he tries to go off that in his speech or try to portray him as something he's not, it's a mistake. it'll be as phony as a $3 bill. when i was running for governor i was a mayor from philadelphia and a lot of pennsylvania is agriculture. i think we're the fifth agricultural state in the union. my campaign wanted me to wear overalls and milk a cow. i said absolutely not. essentially i said i am who i am. i'm a big city guy. i'm not going to milk it. it's just pandering to the voters. mitt romney and the republican convention cannot pander to the voters' intelligence. >> now, so when you stood up to your advisers it was based on
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your authenticity. >> absolute. i am who i am. >> apparently when you look at the polls when you ask voters who's more friendly and likable, president is way ahead 64% to 25%. but then when you get to the more critical issue, candidate's economic priorities. president obama favors middle class 61%. mitt romney favors the wealthy 61%. so not only a problem with likability, it's on core beliefs of whose side he's on. how does he deal with that? what does he need to say in his convention speech that could turn that around if it can be? >> that's a big if. what i would say to the american people is i'm not a warm and fuzzy guy. i'm not going to pretend that i am. that's just not who i am. and in terms of the fact that
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you all know i'm someone who has accumulated significant wealth, that's the truth and i don't apologize for it. be for those of you out there hurting and jobless, i know how to make things better. i know how to fix things. that's all i've done all my life. do you care whether it's a rich guy or a not so rich guy who gets you a job? of course you don't. you want someone who can make this economy work. that would be the honest, forthright approach and it would be the approach that resonates best with voters. >> when you look at the fact that again with polls, the president is far ahead of romney when it says who you saids the economic problems of people. and that's what you're saying. he needs to say i'm real. i'm who i am. i'm not going to apologize for it, but i understand you. but he doesn't seem to be able to communicate that, governor. >> he has not done a good job of doing that. and he's got -- i mean, i think this is a time -- his convention speech is a time for real
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honesty. don't try to be warm and fuzzy. you can't be. it's out of character. don't try to be a common guy. mitt romney's not a common guy. i'm sorry. ann romney is a terrific person, i know ann romney. but if mitt ironed his shirt the day before that interview or morning of that interview, it was the first time he ironed his shirt in awhile. don't apologize for being wealthy. say, look, i've been a success at everything i've done. at bain capital, at the olympics, as governor. i know how to fix things. that's what you should be concerned with. fixing this economy and getting people back to work. i can do it. >> that's the message. >> it's a good thing i'm not in the romney campaign, right? >> i would bet that i would agree with that. thank you. >> thanks, al. coming up, voter suppression in ohio just took an ugly turn. these election officials are on the verge of being fired for
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wanting more voting. it's crazy. and we've got some air guitar stars in your summer break next. ♪ why should saturday night have all the fun? get two times the points on dining in restaurants, with chase sapphire preferred. i don't have to use gas. i am probably going to the gas station about once a month. drive around town all the time doing errands and never ever have to fill up gas in the city. i very rarely put gas in my chevy volt. last time i was at a gas station was about...i would say... two months ago. the last time i went to the gas station must have been about three months ago. i go to the gas station such a small amount that i forget how to put gas in my car. ♪
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get two times the points on travel, with chase sapphire preferred. have you checked us out on facebook? the "politicsnation" conversation is going all day long. today our facebook crowd is buzzing about the ohio election officials who have been suspended for wanting to keep early voting hours. shirley called the situation bogus. pamela said they were men of principle. richard asked if early voting worked in the 2008 election in ohio, why are the republicans changing the rules to make it harder to vote in 2012. i'll talk to those two election officials next. but we want to hear what you think too. head over to facebook and search
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"politicsnation" and like us to join the conversation that keeps going long after the show ends. we hope to see you there.
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we're back with a pause from the political battles of this day. a time to rest, relax, and recharge. that's right. it's time for the "politicsnation" summer break. we start at a zoo in romania. this lyon is moving into his new
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home. when he tries to make a break for it nearly climbing right over the fence, the lion eventually calmed down thanks to some talented zoo keepers. but what a close call. i haven't seen someone escape that fast since paul ryan ran from his past. let's move to a little summer concert, shall we? this band seems distracted. looks like someone in the crowd didn't get the memo. turn your cell phone off before the show. now the phone guy is part of the act. wonder who he was talking to. maybe sarah palin looking for something to do this week. and america, i give you the world air guitar championships. ♪ let me just say i'm glad i didn't wear that suit tonight.
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this air rocker and 17 others let loose in front of 5,000 fans in finland. and check this guy out. he's shredding it in that air metal costume. this woman better be careful, she might hurt her neck with all that head banging. don't forget about the american rocker in the contest. he goes by the name nordic thunder. listen to the crowd go wild. he took home the win. his prize, an actual guitar. why would he need that? i've seen a few politicians play a hot air guitar. and that's today's summer break. welcome aboard! [ chuckles ] ♪ [ honk! ] ♪ [ honk! ] ♪ [ honk! ] ♪ [ male announcer ] now you'll know when to stop.
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we've been telling you how voting rights are under attack around the country. and today there's big news from ohio. two democratic election
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officials there are on the verge of being fired. for trying to allow more people to vote. a state hearing officer appointed by republican secretary of state has recommended that the democrats be removed for pushing to extend early voting hours on the weekend. a hearing was held last week to decide if they went against husted. husted will make the final decision. this is the republican strategy for 2012. they may fire two election officials for wanting to give people more time to vote. amazing. joining me now is dennis lieberman and thomas richie, the two official who is may lose their jobs because they're trying to help people vote.
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and also joining me is chairman of the ohio democratic party. thanks to all of you for being here tonight. >> thank you. thank you. >> dennis, let me strt with you. what's wrong with helping people exercise the right to vote? >> i don't think anything is wrong with it. we in montgomery county have always had since 2008 early voting and we've always had the attitude that the best thing to do as a board of elections is to encourage people to vote, not to restrict them. and so even the republicans on our board have voted to do that. and we voted before this directive to have weekend voting. and all we were doing -- >> let me cut to the chase though. they are threatening because of what you just said of trying to go forward with the weekend voting to fire you and dennis. and tomorrow we'll know what the secretary of state's decision
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is. dennis are you prepared to be fired for this? >> i am. it's as i explained to my children. i can get another job, but i can't get another conscience. and the right thing to do here is to have early voting. it's been the right thing for montgomery county since 2008. i'm not going to change my opinion simply because i was told to. >> tom, what about you? are you prepared to be fired for this? >> absolutely. doing the right thing as dennis said is not easy, but in 2008 we had 28,732 people participate in early voting in montgomery county. we want to let them vote so their vote would count in this country. >> so this is all about you just saying let's have early voting. let's have weekends. 28,000 people voted early in person in your county in 2008. and you're saying why would we
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change it? let me bring in chris redford. you're the chairman of the democratic party statewide. 197,000 people voted nights and weekends. at the same time frame that husted eliminated through this directive. do you think this is politically set to try and limit the votes that would probably lead toward democrats in this election? >> i'm smiling because i think we all know the answer to that. what tom and dennis did is no different as board of elections have done in the past in cuyahoga county and republican counties and democratic counties have been allowed to be open on the weekends. and an important point is this law was written by john husted. the current secretary of state. he wrote the law in 2006 with the republican governor that allowed us to have early vote on
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the weekends. what dennis and tom did is no different than what republican board members in cuyahoga county did over the course of the last four years. but what john husted has noticed is democrats organize better than republicans. we get our people out to vote. and we win elections. and john husted can't win elections the right way. he's got to win them the wrong way. and firing dennis and tom is the wrong approach. for the first time in ohio boards of election members will be fired for opening up the process rather than closing it down. >> this is unheard of. it's despicable. what the democratic party do? what can anyone do to help deal with these two men being fired for basically standing up for people have been their voting rights exercised? >> that's right. and what i can do is i can ask. i can ask for help. what tom and dennis can do is ask for our. our legal challenges are expensive and we need help.
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you can visit us at ohio dems.org and join our effort whatever it may be. soon we'll hear from officials in lucas county, cuyahoga county, and commissioners who said this is not about money. there are resources to run these elections. this is about right versus wrong. i'm glad i'm on the right side with tom and dennis. >> tom and dennis, i think you're doing the right thing. i think you are really doing the patriotic thing. and i'm glad to hear that this is not over. there'll be a fight. many americans will fight with you. i know it's not what you choose to do in your career if husted fires you tomorrow. but i was moved when you said you can get another job but you can't get another conscience. i hope people will stand with thomas richie and dennis
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lieberman as you stand up for the american people. i promise you we'll stay on this. thomas richie and dennis lieberman and chris redfern thank you for your time tonight. >> thank you. coming up, four years ago today barack obama was nominated president with a message moving forward. that's next. you do this every morning? it's the only way to get fresh coffee. not in my house! this new flavor lock pack from maxwell house helps seal in freshness. wow! that is fresh! am i still yelling?
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the republican convention begins in tampa this week. but i can't help thinking about another convention. four years ago today then senator barack obama was nominated for president in denver. when he accepted the nomination the following day, he explained the philosophy he was running against. >> out of work? tough luck. you're on your own. no health care? the market will fix it. you're on your own. born into poverty? pull yourself up by your own
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boot straps. even if you don't have boots, you are on your own. well, it's time for them to own their failure. it's time for us to change america. >> he also said we can't go back to the ways of the past. >> america, we cannot turn back. not with so much work to be done. not with so many children to educate and so many veterans to care for. not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. america, we cannot turn back. >> it has been a up and down struggle, but it has been a consistent struggle going forward and not going back.

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